10 great mountain towns for retirees

If you like the outdoors, chances are you have dreamed about retiring to a town in the mountains. You might love to ski, hike, camp, fish, mountain bike, or just plain admire the beautiful scenery TopRetirements.com surveyed readers to find out which mountain towns are great for retirement. TopRetirements.com President John F. Brady says that for those who aspire to a mountain retirement, some of the advantages that come with them include cooler summers, lower humidity, beautiful scenery and plenty of recreation. On the downside, winters can be colder, and depending on the remoteness, there can be transportation challenges and fewer cultural resources. Based on their popularity with readers of TopRetirements.com, and some attempt at regional diversity, here are 10 mountain towns, both in the mountains and nearby foothills, that might be perfect for your retirement:

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Prescott, Ariz.

Located at an elevation of 5,400 feet in the mountains of north central Arizona, Prescott (population just under 40,000 in 2011), was the original territorial capital of the Arizona Territory. This old mining town now attracts many active adults, and borders the Prescott National Forest to the south and west.

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Knoxville, Tenn

Knoxville is particularly attractive because it is home to the Vols at the University of Tennessee. It is a vibrant college town with big-time sports and many cultural events. Tennessee has wonderful mountains and hills nearby.

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Las Cruces, N.M.

Las Cruces shows traces of civilization going back 8,000 years. The ancient Anasazi people had communities here, which seem to have disappeared by 1300 A.D. The town is 4,000 feet above sea level and claims to enjoy 350 days of sunshine a year. At left, the Organ Mountains.

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Blue Ridge, Ga.

This small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia is on the border near where Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina come together. The town has about 1,200 residents. Blue Ridge is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Georgia because of Lake Blue Ridge, the Toccoa River and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The southern tip of the Appalachian Trail is quite close. At left, Dick's Creek Falls in the nearby Chattahoochee National Forest.

Carina from Windsor, CA, USA/Wikipedia

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Santa Rosa, Calif.

Santa Rosa is the largest city in northern California’s wine country. Nearby towns include Sonoma, Healdsburg and Napa. The city is actively engaged in economic development centered around wine, food, tourism. Residents enjoy the hiking and views in the many state parks that surround Santa Rosa.

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

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Middlebury, Vt.

This college town offers views of the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks in the distance. The postmodern architect Robert Venturi said of the Middlebury College campus, “Middlebury looks like what everyone thinks an American campus should be but seldom is.” The game of Quidditch, the brainchild of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, has taken its flight in some 400 colleges and 300 high schools in North America, got its start in 2005 at Middlebury College.

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Laramie, Wyo.

Laramie is a lively college town near the Medicine Bow mountains. It’s so nice, some people move here and never leave. A big draw for many is the fact that there is no income tax in Wyoming. Laramie has 14 parks, and residents have access to the University of Wyoming’s 18-hole golf course.

Doug Wertman/Wikipedia

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Eureka Springs, Ark.

Eureka Springs is a Victorian resort village in the northwest corner of Arkansas. Its steep winding streets and well-preserved Victorian-era homes give it an alpine feeling. Many of the buildings are built with local stone. The undulating streets rise and fall with the topography in a five-mile long loop.

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Steamboat Springs, Colo.

This mountain resort town in Colorado draws tourists for its sports and views. Although skiing on Mount Werner is the main draw here in the winter and spring, the popularity of river sports on the Yampa River, mountain biking, and hiking keep it bustling year-round. The population was about 12,000 in 2011, although it swells higher than that in peak seasons. Steamboat enjoys plenty of snow and ample sunshine.

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Morgantown, W.V.

Home to the Mountaineers of West Virginia University (at left), Morgantown’s 28,000 students are a major influence on the community. Cost of living is low, while recreational activities in the nearby mountains, Monongahela River, and Cheat Lake are extraordinary. Find more great places to retire at Topretirements.com.

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